Weft-detector-withdrawing means for looms



Dec. 13, 1927. 1,652,602

' H. L. BLANCHARD ET AL WEFT DETECTOR WITHDRAWING MEANS FOR LOOMS :INVENTOR HAROLD l BLANCHARD WAL-VE@ H WAKEFlr-:LD

ATToRNEyS Dec. 13, 1927.

H. L. BLANCHARD ET AL lWEFI DETECTOR WITHDHAWING MEANS FOR LOOMS Filed May 1a 1926 ZSheets-Sheet 2 W non 6 WW A 5 l W M /Mw L /f L w L L 6 G w/\\ 4 D R R A OH T C mm WL TD L D L o .R A H WALTER H WAKE: IELD ATT oRNEy/S Patented Dee. 13, 1927.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HAROLD L. BLANCHARD, 0F MILLBURY, AND WALTER H. WAX'EFIELD, 0F WORCES- TER, MASSACHUSETTS, `ASSIGNORS TO CROMPTON & KNOWLES LOOM WORKS, OF WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OF MASSACHUSETTS.

VIEFT-DETECTOR-WITHDRAVING MEANS FOR LOOMS.

Application filed May 13, 1926.

I This `invention relates rto weft detectors for looms and it is the general object of the invention to provide improved means for withdrawing Va Vdetector of the side slip type to make clear the path of the incoming bobbin on the transferring pick.

In automatic looms of the multi-color type the magazine and weft detector are located on 'the 'same side of the loom and where the detector is of the type which projects into the shuttle from the side yit is necessary to provide some means for pulling the feeler to one side as the full bobbin is placed in the shuttle. It is a more particular object of the invention to provide a detector of the side slip type having yan extension to cooperate with an actuator for the replenishing mechanism, the actuator being formed to permit longitudinal adjustment of the detector along the bobbin.

It is a more specific object of the invention 'to provide a side slip weft detector formed of'a piece of bent wire having the rear end roughened to engage the yarn and having the forward portion formed toV coopcrate with an actuating mechanism and withdrawing device, there being a resilient means to return the detector to normal position located between the roughened surface and the mechanism and device. l

lith these and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds. our invent-ion resides in the combination and arrangementof parts hereinafter described and set forth in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings wherein we have shown a convenient embodiment of our invention,

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of our improved detector and associated parts showing the foot ofthe replenishing mechanism in section and the shuttle and lay in dotted lines in Vfront center position,

Fig. 2 is va vertical section on line 2-2 of Fig. 1, Y

Fig. 3 vis a front elevation on a reduced scale looking in the direction of arrow 3, Fig. 1,

Fig. 4 au enlarged vertical section on line 4 4 of Fig. 1 looking in the direction of the arrows,

Fig.- 5 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical seeti'enfen line 5&5 ef Fig. 3, emitting eer: tain parte,

Serial No. 108,934.

loom side 10, breast beam 11, and lay 12, the

latter indicated in dotted lines. Secured to the loom side is a foot 13 ofan inside frame 14 of a weft replenishing mechanism which may be of the form shown in Patent No. 1,030,748. Secured to the breast beam is an actuator stand 15 having a guide 16 in which is mounted for vertical reciprocation ablock 17 t0 which is pivoted an actuator lever 18. The latter is connected by means of rod 19 shown in section in Fig. 1 to the weft replenishing mechanism (not shown) and operates when depressed to give indication of exhaustion of weft to initiate replenishment. A hub 2() formed with the stand 14 has extending therethrough a stud 21 on the outer 'end of which is pivotally mounted a transferrer arm 22 the rear portion of which is vextended as at 23 to lie over and substantially parallel to the bobbin B in the shuttle S. The stand 15 is provided with a vertical slot 24 in which reciprocates the outer en'd 'of the actuator lever 18.

Under normal operation the block 17 lreceives a downward movement on each alternate or detecting beat of the lay and when sutiicie'nt weft 'for continued weaving is present the outer end of the actuator lever will be free to descend in slot 24 thus leaving rod 19 unmoved, but when there is insufficient yarn 'present the outer end of the actuator lever will be arrested by mechanism to be described and as block 17 descends rod 19 is depressed to give indication of weft eX- haustion. The matter 'thus far vdescribed is of well-known construction and forms no part of the present invention.

`In carrying our improvements into effect, we provide a stand 30 secured to the loom side 10 and bolt to the outer end thereof a bracket 31 having a horizontal slot 32. A second bracket 33 having a vertical slot 34 is held to the first named bracket by means of a bolt 35, the slots affording vertical and horizontal adjustment of the bracket 33, The upper end of the bracket is' extended hrizontaily to provide a fl bed 86 hav .iii

Vvwardly therefrom.

ing upstanding sides 37 and rear and front walls 38 and 39, respectively. Extending upwardly from the bed 36 is a boss 40 having an upstanding guide lug 41 extending through a removable cap 42 formed as indicated in Figs. 1 and 4, said Cap being held in place by a screw 43 which passes into boss 40. riilie left hand wall 37 of the bracket 33 is provided with a notch 44 defined by said wall and a small projection 45 extending in- The right hand end of the stand 15 is provided with a horizontal slot 46 indicated in Figs. 1 and 6 and may be provided with a horizontally disposed U-shaped forwardly extending projection 47 communicating with the slot I46.

The detector element, which is of the side slip type, is formed preferably of a single piece of bent wire indicated at D and has the rear bobbin engaging end thereof provided with teeth 50 and the other end thereof bent to extend rearwardly as at 51 into slot 46. 'lf he intermediate portions of the wire are provided with a rounded portion 52 at the right hand side of the detector D yand a straight portion 53 designed to be held against thc'boss 46 by means of a coil spring 53. Said spring has one end thereof securedvto a small lug- 54 cast integral with and projecting upwardly from the bed 36. Said spring extends around a second lug 55 also cast on the bed, the free end of said spring being received by a rearwardly curved vportion 56 of the detector D. That portion Vof the wire which is received by the notch 44 is formed by an upward bend 57 in the wire asindicated in Fig. 4 and the wire is 4extended forwardly and then to the vleft as indicated at 53.

ment ofthe uprighty portion 57 lof the detect-- torwe provide the cap with a slot 63 extending forwardly from the notch 44 and cut an Vopening 64 in the cap which communicates with'th'e slot 63 so that the upright portion 57 of the Ydetector may be inserted in the slot. Under normal conditions the parts are in the position indicated in full lines in Figs. 1

and 2,the end 51 of the detector lying nornially under the'actuator lever 1S and the teeth 50 being positioned to engage the yarn 1 of the'advancing shuttle, the detector being held ink this Aposition by spring 53. So long i as suffi-cient yarn is present the detector will be inoved forwardly from the position indi- Vcated in Fig. 1 towithdraw the end 51 from beneath the actuator lever 18 permitting the latter to descend without interruption, slipping movement to the side being prevented by entry of the teeth 50 into the yarn of the bobbin. lVhen insufficient yarn remains on the bobbin, however, the latter will engage the teeth 50 on the forward detecting beat and the detector D will swing angularly around the notch 44 as a pivot to the position indicated in dotted lines at 65 in Fig. 1 against the action'of spring 53. The end 51 of the detector is moved rearwardly a slight amount by this swinging of the detector and will therefore be under the actuator lever as the latter' descends, with result-ant depression of rod 19 to indicate weft exhaustion tothe replenishing mechanism.

On a subsequent beat of the lay when the shuttle which previouslyhad given an indication o f exhaustion arrives under the transferrer arm 23 the latter will descend by mechanism not shown but well understood in the art and set forth in the aforesaid patent,-said movement of the transferrer arm moving the link 61 to the position indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 2. This forward movement of the link will move the upright portion 57 of the wire forwardly in slot 63, the curved rearwardly extending portion 66 ofthe detector being guided along an edge 67 of the rear wall 38 of the bracket 33 and the rounded portion 52 being guided by the right hand wall 37 as will be understood from an inspection of Fig. 4. This forward movement of the detectorvD accomplishes two vnecessary results,namely7 the 'rear toothed end of the detector is moved out of the path of the incoming bobbin and the end 52 is moved forwardly from under actuator lever 18. The incoming bobbin will therefore not damage the detector and the lever 13 may descend without giving a second indication. It will be seen that link 61 is so placed that the pivot for the detector and the spring 53 lies lbetween said link and the rearwardly extending` toothed arm of the detector.' The form of spring 53 shown in Fig. 1 is adapted to permit the detector to be moved forwardly on the transferring beat without subjecting the spring to undue expansion. i

From the foregoing it will be seen that we have provided a detector formed of a single piece of wire one end-of which is toothed to serve as -a yarn engaging detector-and the other eiid'ofwhich is formed vto serve as a controller for the actuator`5 intermediate poi'- tions ofthe wire servingas a pivot about which the detector may have a side slipping movement at weft exhaustion. lt will further be seen that the tran-sferrer arm has associated therewith a link which is effective on transferring beats of the loom to withdraw the detector so as to clear the path of the incoming full bobbin andto prevent a second indication. It will further be noted 'actuator lever 18 under normal conditions as indicated at ``in Fig.y 7, reliance being had uponthe angular movement of 'the detector about the notch 44 as a center to vmove said controller 70 under the Vactuator-When exhaustionA Yof weft is indicatedf vHavingV thus` described our invention it Will beA apparent that changes and modifications maybe made thereir'iby those skilled in the art Without `departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, and We vdolnot Wish Y"to be limited to the details herein disclosed, but What We claim is:

l. In a weft detector for looms having a. yarnsurface to be detected and an actuator tol-effect a-change in the loom, a support, and a detector mounted on the support, said detector being in the form of a bent wire and having a yarn engaging surface at one end to detect the condition of yarn and having also a controller portion at the other end to be moved under the actuator, said detector being further provided with an intermediate portion serving as a pivot to be received by the support, and resilient means to hold the detector in normal position, said detector at substantial exhaustion of weft having an angular movement about the pivot thereof and along the bobbin to move the controller end thereof under the actuator.

2. In a weft detector for looms having a. yarn surface to be detected and an actuator to effect a change in the loom, a support, and a detector formed of a single piece of Wire, said detector having at one end a, roughened part to cooperate with the surface to be detected and having at the other end a controller for the actuator, said Wire intermediate the ends thereof being bent to form a pivot held normally in a recess in the support, the roughened part sliding along an exhausted bobbin to move the Wire angularly about the pivot therefor to move the controller end under the actuator.

3. In` a weft detector for looms having a yarn surface to be detected and an actuator to effect a change in the loom, a support, a. detector formed of a single piece of wire, said detector having at one end a roughened part to cooperate with the surface to be detected and having at the other end a. controller for the actuator, said Wire intermediate the ends thereof being bent to form a pivot held normally in a recess in the support, the roughened part sliding along an exhausted bobbin to move the Wire 'angularly about the pivot therefor to move the controller end under the actuator, and resilient mea-ns to hold said bent end :in the recess and s'aiddetector in normal position.

4C.v In a weft detector for looms having a yarn surface to be detected and an actuator to effect a changein the loom, a support, a detector yformed of a single piece of Wire, said detector having at one end a roughened part to cooperate with the surface to be detected and having at the other end a controller for the actuator, said Wire intermediate the ends thereof being bent to form a pivot held normally in a recess in the support, the' roughened part sliding along an exhausted bobbin to move the Wire angularly about the pivot therefor to move the controller end underthe actuator, resilient vmeans to hold said bent end in the recess and said Vdetector in normal position, and means acting on 'the Wire Vbetween the controller'and pivot portions thereof to Withdraw the detector'on transferring beats of the loom.

5. In a weft detector'for looms havingy av yarn surface to be detected and an actuator to effect a change in the loom, a support, a detector formed of a single piece of Wire, said detector having at one end a roughened part to cooperate with the surface to be detected and having at the other end a controller for the actuator, said Wire intermediate the ends thereof being bent to form a pivot held4 normally in a recess in the support, the roughened part sliding along an exhausted bobbin to move the Wire angularly about the pivot therefor to move the controller end under the actuator, resilient means to hold said bent end in the recess and said detector in normal position, and a guide for said actuator and controller, said guide having a slot for the controller extending substantially parallel to the shuttle Whereby the controller may assume a plurality of posit-ions under the actuator.

6. In a weft detector for looms having a yarn surface to be detected and an actuator to effect a change in the loom, a support, a detector formed ofa single piece of Wire, said detector having at one end a roughened part to cooperate with the surface to be detected and having at the other end a controller for the actuator, said Wire intermediate the ends thereof being bent to form a pivot held normally in a recess in the support, the roughened part sliding along an exhausted bobbin to move the Wire angularly about the pivot therefor to move the controller end under the actuator, and resilient means to hold said bent end in the recess and said detector in normal position, said resilient means being in the form of a coil spring bent on itself and having one end held with respect to the support and having the other end attached to the wire and having the intermediate portions eX- tending around another portion of the support'.

7. In a Wett detector for looins having a surface to be detected and an actuator to eii'ect a. change in the looin7 a support, a detector mounted on the support in the form of a cent Wir-e having a rearwardly extending yarn engaging detector. tip on one end and having the other end formed as a controller to heinoved under the actuator, the intermediate portion of the detector being formed as a pivot to he received by a notch in the support, a cap -tor the support having a slot therein through which the pivot portion oi' the detector extends, and means to Withdraw the detector on transferring heats Vof the loom to move the detector tip out of the path of the incoming shuttle and the controller end from under the actuator, the

pivot portion of the detector moving away from the notch in the support and in the slot in the cover.

8. In a side slip weft detector for looms having a surface to be detected and a regularlyvmoving actuator7 a support having a pivotal notch formed therein, a weft detector itorined ot a Wire having a rearwardly' extending detector tip on one end and having on the other end acontroller to move the length of the spring, and means to Withdraw the detector onV the transferring heat ofthe loom, said spring expanding as the detector is Withdrawn.

In testimony vwhereof We have hereunto afiixed our signatures. n

HAROLD L. BLANCHARD. WALTER H. WAKEFIELD. 

